n him. You can walk." He turned to the rest. "I must go
at once," he said. "I don't know what this may mean."

"Not so bad as it sounds, I hope," said Iver. "But you'd best be off at
once."

Harry included Mina and Mr Neeld in one light nod, and walked briskly
toward the gate, Iver and Janie accompanying him. Mina and Neeld were
left together, and sat in silence some moments.

"It sounds as if she was dying," said Mina at last in a low voice.

"Yes, poor woman!"

"I saw her once lately. She was very beautiful, Mr Neeld."

"Yes, yes, to her own great trouble, poor thing!"

"You knew about----?"

"Oh, everybody knew, Madame Zabriska."

"Yes, and now she's dying!" She turned to him, looking him fairly in the
face. "And Harry'll be Tristram of Blent," she said.

"Yes," said Neeld. "He'll be Tristram of Blent."

Both fell into silence again, looking absently at the sunshine playing
among the trees. They were not to share their secret just yet. A link
was missing between them still.

Harry came to where the horse was, and stood there for a moment, while
the groom altered the stirrups to suit him.

"It's the beginning of the end, if not the end itself," he said.

"Our earnest good wishes to her."

"My love," said Janie. Her father glanced quickly at her.

Harry jumped into the saddle, waved his hand to them, and started at a
gallop for Blent. The groom, with another touch of his hat, trudged off
in his master's track. Janie Iver stood looking as long as Harry was in
sight.

"He won't spare the horse," said Iver.

"Well, he can't this time; and anyhow he wouldn't, if he wanted to get
there." She took her father's arm and pressed it. "Father, Harry
Tristram has just asked me to marry him. He said Lady Tristram wanted it
settled before--before she died, or he wouldn't have spoken so soon."

"Well, Janie dear?"

"When the groom came, I had just told him that I would give him an
answer in a week. But now!" She made a gesture with her free hand; it
seemed to mean bewilderment. She could not tell what would happen now.

VIII

DUTY AND MR. NEELD

When Mina Zabriska brought back the news from Fairholme, and announced
it with an intensity of significance which the sudden aggravation of an
illness long known to be mortal hardly accounted for, Major Duplay grew
very solemn. The moment for action approached, and the nearer it came,
the less was the Major satisfied with his position and resources. The
s